Backtrack
by Caithrine Glidewell
Summary: Ezra must deal with Ella's misconceptions and find a way to save his relationship with Aria. Aria must deal with not having Ezra by her side in the hardest time the Liars have ever seen. AriaxEzraxSpencerxElla
1. Keep Going

Ezra POV

"I'm gonna give you one chance to walk away from this. Not because you deserve it but because this is the last thing we need to deal with right now. And when you go, you need to keep going, because of Spencer's parents find out about this they will ruin you," I stare into Ella's eyes trying to understand what she was saying. It had all made sense up until she'd mentioned Spencer.

"Ella... Mrs. Montgomery," I corrected myself at her glare. I understood that whatever right I had to call her a friend had obviously been lost, "I'm not sure what you're talking about. Spencer's dating Toby Cavenaugh."

"And how would you know that?" she grinded through her teeth.

"Because A-" I began rashly, but stopped myself. Coming out about Aria to her mother was only going to make this worse for both of us right now, "Listen, Mrs. Montgomery, I will explain everything if you will give me a chance. But now is not the time and this is not the place. Please, I need you to listen," I met her eyes, searching them as I waited for her response.

She turned her head away with an audible breath, something I'd seen Aria do a hundred times, then turned back to me with cold decisiveness in her eyes, "Fine I will listen. But you get one chance to make this right. One."

I nodded, "I understand. Come to my apartment after you deal with this and I will tell you everything."

"Fine. Now go."

As much as I wanted to stay, to hold Aria, let her know that I'd listened when she called, I knew I couldn't.

Then I saw Spencer being walked to a bathroom by a cop. On my way out I dipped into a side hall behind them where the bathrooms were. I pulled a crumpled receipt out of my pocket and wrote a note for Aria on it, then folded it in half.

The cop was standing besides the door but after a second he turned and went into the men's bathroom, and I took the opportunity to slip the note under the door to Spencer.

Open POV

Spencer saw a slip of paper slide out from under the bathroom door and she dreaded it. Was this A? Here now in the police station. Was there now here they could hide from them?

Spencer leaned down cautiously and picked up the note it was folded in half and in a handwriting she recognized from months of seeing it on a chalk board was written 'Make sure she gets this -E'


	2. E

Spencer POV

I shoved the note in my bra as I came out of the bathroom. The cop who had escorted me here was gone and I figured walking around right now would only cause trouble as much as I wanted to give a major screw you to the Rosewood PD. I leaned against the wall and a little over a minute later the cop exited the men's room and grabbed my arm guiding me back to the interview room.

He let go of me when he opened the door and I walked inside. I sat down and crossed my arms glaring at the two way mirror across from in a way that had become habitual in the last two hours.

I had to find a way to get the note to Aria under the constant audio, video, and creepy asshole detective surveillance. I knew it was risky but I also knew that Ezra wouldn't have come to the police station unless Aria had asked him to, needed him too, none the less go to the trouble to slip me the note. And I knew Aria needed Ezra.

I looked at her at the end of the table. She had her head down and I could tell from the tightness of her chest with each breath she was holding back sobs again.

Under the table I pulled down my dress a little bit enough to give myself and excuse to need to pull it back up, then brought my hands up to the neckline and adjusted it, slipping the note out of my bra and crumpling it in my palm at the same time. I set my hands back on the table and let the air in the room sit still for a moment before reaching across Hanna at the table and grabbing on of Aria's hands with both of mine.

"Its gonna be okay," I reassured her.

Her head popped up, and she shook her head, her eyes watery, "No, its not. He's never going to forgive me. We're stuck here being accused of murder, and Emily almost died today!"

"Hey, Hey," I held her hands harder as her tears left clean streaks in the dirt on her face, "There's one thing I know for sure," I whispered. I shot my eyes to Emily and then down at the mic on the table. It took her a moment, then she placed her thumb firmly over the mic head causing it to hopefully record nothing but white noise, "Ezra loves you." I unfolded Aria's hand under mine and nestled the note in her palm.

Aria withdrew her hands quickly and put them in her lap. I patted the table in front of her once more to look comforting then leaned back in my chair and nodded to Emily, who also put her hands back in her lap.

Aria POV

I rolled the little piece of paper Spencer had given me between my palms not looking down. I didn't know what it was but I guessed it had to do with Ezra. Was he here? Had they talked? Had my parents seen him?

I slowly uncrumpled the paper and smoothed it out in my palm, never looking down. Then when I couldn't stand it anymore I looked down, trying to make seem like I was just staring at my hands like I'd done most of the time we'd been here.

'Aria, I wish that I could stay, that I could see you, but its not safe. I'm going back to the apartment. Your mom spoke to me. I know she thinks I'm with Spencer. She wants me gone, but I promise Aria, I will not go anywhere. I told her I'd tell her everything If she'd listen. Don't worry. I'll fix this. I love you. –E'

I bit my lip and curled my hand into a fist around the note. I could feel the tears coming again. Everything was falling apart and I didn't know if I could fix it anymore.


	3. Charged

Ezra POV

I paced nervously around my apartment. How I was going to explain everything to Ella and stay in Rosewood I had no idea. She was already so upset when she thought I was dating her daughter's friend, I had no idea how badly she would react when she found out it was her daughter I was dating.

That I loved. I couldn't let myself lose sight of that. I loved Aria and I wouldn't leave her here, alone with all that she was going through. I had to make Ella understand.

I glanced at the clock. 9:37 pm. I wasn't surprised that everything at the police station was taking so long, but I worried that at the end of it, Ella wouldn't come. For now, all I could do was wait.

Ella POV

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Aria escorted out by an officer, covered in dirt with tear stained cheeks. I ran up to her and hugged her tight. I could feel her sobs against my chest.

"Mom, I'm so scared," She whispered in my ear.

"Shhh, its going to be alright," I assured her.

"I hate to break this up, but I need to take the girls to booking," Detective Wilden thundered. I pulled back from Aria.

"Booking?" Veronica Hastings asked, stepping up.

"Yes," Wilden told her, "The girls are being charged for murder. A judge will determine bail Monday morning. I suggest you, as their lawyer, come with us and the rest of you go home and let us deal with this."

"Murder?" Hanna's mother snapped.

"What evidence do you have to hold them on?" Byron questioned as I pulled Aria closer to me. She looked resigned. She knew what was happening. She had accepted it.

"They found the girls with the murder weapon when they picked them up," Veronica said calmly over her shoulder to use before turning back to the detective, "But unless you have already come up with DNA evidence on that shovel to say it was the exact one used to kill Allison, you have nothing to hold them on, and I will not allow you to take them in until I see such evidence.

Wilden looked around the room at each of us, parents and girls, then looked resigned and angry, "Then I will see you Monday morning Mrs. Hastings, with your DNA report in hand. You all can go home.

Out in the parking lot Aria let go of me long enough to get in Byrion's car, and after he closed the door behind her, I stopped to speak to him for a moment.

"Byron, I'll see you at home. There's something I need to do first."

"Now, Ella? Our daughter just got accused of murder," He said coolly.

"This is about Aria. And all of the other girls. Trust me, I wouldn't go right now if it wasn't important. I'll see you at home," Before Byron could argue anymore I walked away and got in my car.


	4. Keep Your Distance

Ezra POVI sat down on the couch with a book but I couldn't get into it. It was after 10:00 now. I should accept that Ella might not come and try to sleep, but I knew I would just toss and turn all night. Things were falling apart and I had no idea how to put them back a loud buzzing filled my apartment. I hopped up so quickly it made me dizzy and had to lean against the wall for a moment before buzzing Ella in. I still had my forehead rested against the wall when a subtle knock came to the door.I took a quick look around and spotted Aria's jacket draped over the arm of the couch where I had left it so I would remember to return it to her. Her mom would recognize it. I quickly picked it up and threw it in the closet before opening the door."Mrs. Montgomery," I greeted formally before gesturing for her to come was looking at me with that mama bear glare in her eyes when I turned around after closing the door."I can't stay long. Keep it short," Ella told me, no inflection in her voice."Do you want to sit down?""No."I nodded, running my hand nervously through my hair. I had to get the bomb dropped. There was no more avoiding it."I'm in love with Aria," I spilled out. It wasn't gentle, and it probably wasn't the best way to tell her, but my mind wasn't thinking entirely rational right now."Aria?" Ella snapped."Please, just listen. When we met, I had no idea she was my student. We met before school even started. And I tried to keep my distance, trust me I tried. But me and Aria…. I can't leave her. I won't do that again. Not now," I looked down, waiting for her reaction."And Aria?" Ella's voice wasn't so harsh but I didn't know what to make of it."Has a good head on her shoulders. Every decision she's made around us has been right. Every time she brought me back when I tried to walk away, every time she walked away. I can't blame her for any of it. You know Aria. She's strong. She wouldn't stick around if she didn't want to be here. If I had forced her into anything, you would have known. I would be gone," I felt like I was rambling, but I had to keep going. I had to make her see, "I love you're daughter Mrs. Montgomery."

Ella sighed, "Where you ever planning on telling us?"

"We've been talking about it since I left Rosewood High. We'd officially agreed to just days ago. That's why when you confronted me in the police station… I thought you knew," I ran my hand through my hair again. It seemed like we were getting somewhere but I couldn't be sure.

"I have to go," Ella said abruptly.

"Ella, please-"

She spun back around shaking her head, "I have to think about this. For now, you keep your distance. Understand?"

I nodded and watched as Ella left, slamming the door behind her.


End file.
